Sand washing and sifting machine



Dec. 23, 1958 E, P/THAMME 2,365,503

SAND WASHING AND smmc MACHINE Filed July 51, 1952 El? Thamme INVENTOR.

/5 By I SAND WASHING AND SIFTING MACHINE Eric Paul Tharnme, Farmingdale, N. Y. Application July 31, 1952, Serial No. 301,930

6 Claims. (Cl. 209-17 Y This invention relates to improvements in sand washing and sifting machines and specifically it refers to improvements in the construction and the mode of operation of such machines as hereinafter described.

Sand washing and sifting machines have been known for some time as exemplified by the U. S. patent to Shaw No. 1,637,625, but such machines have not been commercially successful, due to many faults in their construction and operation. The machine of Shaw for instance, may be automatic in operation to some extent, but if built as shown in the patent it would easily become clogged and give difficulty. The efliciency of the machine depends to a considerable extent on the speed of the water, particularly upon whether this speed can be held constant and be suitably adjusted for every range or size desired. This was not possible in the old machines and these Were therefore, very inefficient and required a great deal of attention. In the practical operation of such equipment a great deal of material has to be handled to make the operation economically possible, and it is essential therefore, that the same be automatic and more easily adjustable and controllable.

In my invention as illustrated herewith I have eliminated all the ditficulties of the earlier machines and have made the operation economically possible by making the same automatic throughout whereby very little attention is required to obtain the highest efiiciency of the machine and to give consistently satisfactory results. This hasbeen attained by construction and mode of operation as described in detail below. I

The main object of my invention is to provide a sand washing and sifting machine which will automatically wash and sift and separate sand and furnish an end product which is clean and properly graded as to grain size.

Another object of my invention is to provide a sand washing and sifting machine which can be built at low cost and which requires little expense in maintenance.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a sand washing and sifting machine, built up of a number of standard units, which may be operated together according to the capacity desired and the number of grain sizes demanded.

An ancillary object to the above is to provide a sand washing and sifting machine of the greatest possible efficiency and flexibility which will deliver a graded product suitable for blending into an end-product of exacting specifications and with the fiume necessarily functioning as a most economical stock piling conveyor.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure l is a plan view of a single unit of a sand washing and shifting machine, embodying my invention,

Figure 2 represents a sectional elevation taken along the line 22 in Figure 1,

Figure 3 represents a partial elevation taken along the line 3--3 in Figure 2.

Patented Dec. 23, 1958 In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration, are shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, and referring particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the numeral 10 designates a fiume, through which a mixture of sand and water flows into the machine, the direction of flow being preferably from above in Figure l, as indicated by an arrow. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a typical embodiment of my invention in its simplest form. As will be hereinafter explained a number of these units will be placed in a series, one after another with the fiume 10 feeding all in succession. The fiume 10 is preferably constructed with a slight decline toward the far end of the row of units, thereby giving the water in the fiume a certain predetermined and suitable speed. The water may rise to a level as indicated at 11. A series of screens 10-a and 10-b are provided along the course of the water in fiume 10. The upper screen ill-a is a limiting screen with fine mesh over the first units and with increasing mesh size along the course of the water. Screen 10-h is a retaining screen upon which retained material is advanced by the flowing water to a station or stations downstream reserved for processing material of this size.

Each unit consists of a vertical pipe 12, connecting from the fiume 10, downward to the sedimentation chamber 13. The sedimentation chamber 13, tapers downwardly and has a discharge pipe 14, with a valve 15,'said valve being operated by a vertical rod 16. The lower part of the control chamber 18, is connected to the sedimentation chamber 13, by means of the vertical pipe 19, through the center of which the rod 16 continues upwards to the float 17 and through sameout through the top of the control chamber 18, as indicated in Figure 2. The upper end of rod 16, has a stop plate 20, which is adjustable by means of nut 21. Across the open upper end of the control chamber 18, is placed a member 22 carrying a stop plate 23, upon which the plate 20 will rest when the float 17 is in its lower position. The control chamber 18, furthermore has an outlet 24, through which the water in same may drain off.

A T-shaped stop mechanism 25, hinged to member 22 by two short pieces of pipe welded to member 22 below the suitably slotted stop plate 23 is shown in the open position in Fig. 3. Member 22 comprises an angle iron, passage for the valve rod 16 through angle iron and stop plate 23, and stop mechanism 25. Stop plate 23 in conjunction with adjustable stop 20 limits the distance the float-valve assembly may lower. Stop mechanism 25 secures the assembly in the inoperative position and is shown by dotted lines in the engaged position.

A second vertical pipe 26 connects the other side of the sedimentation chamber 13 to the waste fiume 27, with the water level 28. Inside the vertical pipe 26, there is a piece of pipe 29, which is fastened to 26, and which is cut off on an angle, as illustrated in Figure 2. Above said pipe 29, and coaxial with same, is another loose pipe member 313, the lower end'of which is also cut off on a bias as illustrated in Figure 2. The upper end is cut in half axially with a portion removed down to 31. The pipe member 30 is rotatable in the vertical pipe 26 and is sealed by means of seal 32 at the upper end of pipe 26,

in such a manner that all water flowing upwards to pipe 26 will have to go over the edge 31 of the member 30.

At variousangles the lowerend of same will rest upon the slanting bottom member 29 and will assume various heights whereby the weir edge 31 will assume varying adjustable heights, as will be hereinafter described -The sedimentation tank 13 also has a drain pipe 33 with a valve 34 operated by lever 35 and held closed by weight 36. This drain valve is provided for the purpose of draining the sedimentation tank 13 in cold weather to prevent freezing when not in use.

The operation of the machine is simply as follows: The Water flows in flume at a predetermined speed and enters the vertical pipes 12 through which it flows down into the sedimentation tank 13. The waterfill'ing the tank 13 will rise up through pipes 19 and 26. Th water rising up through pipe 19, will lift the float 17 which is fastened upon rod 16. The tension created by the upward buoyancy of the float 17 will hold the valvelS tightly closed at the lower end of pipe 14. The water which rises up through pipe 26 will have to flow over the adjustable weir edge 31 of the rotatable pipe 30. The speed of this flow will of course be determined by the head which is the difference in elevation between the weir edge 31 and the water lever 11 in flume 10. By adjusting the weir edge to a suitable elevation the flow may thus be controlled for the correct speed depending upon the grain size of the sand to be precipitated. After the flow has been adjusted to the correct speed the sand will begin to fall out and accumulate first in the drain pipe 14 and after this has been filled there will be built up a mound of sand 40 which eventually will close up the lower end of pipe 19. At this point the flow of water up through pipe 19 will stop. The water level in the control tank 18 will have been nearly the same as water level 11 because there is only a small drain 24. After the closing of pipe 19, however, the level in tank 18 will fall rapidly and with it the float 17. When the water level in tank 18 drops sufliciently low the valve opens automatically and the sand in pipe 14 as well as the mound 40 will drain ofl. As the mound 40 is lowered, however, the water will again rise in pipe 19 and in the control tank 18 whereupon the float 17 will again rise and close valve 15 and a new cycle will begin. When a unit is first started stop is turned up to 25-A (see Fig. 3) to permit the sand to collect and close pipe 14.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

It is obvious that my invention may equally well be used for washing and classifying of other materials, such as coal, lime, stone, ores, etc.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A sand Washing and sifting machine of the character described comprising a water flume conveying a mixture of sand and water; a vertical, pipe connecting through the bottom of said flume; screens covering said pipe on the bottom of said flume; a sedimentation tank connecting to the lower end of said vertical pipe; a drain pipe at the bottom of said sedimentation tank; a float operated valve closing said drain pipe, and a second vertical pipe of adjustable height connected to said sedimentation tank and forming the outlet from same.

2 A sand washing and sitting machine of the character described comprising a flume carrying the mixture of sand water and running on one side of said machine; a'vertical pipe connecting said flume to a sedimentation tank on a lower level; screens covering said pipe on thebottom of said flume; an automatic float control valve located. at the bottom of said sedimentation tank; a second vertical pipe rising from said sedimentation tank on the opposite side of the machine, said vertical pipe having an adjustable weir edge, and a waste flume surrounding said vertical pipe.

3. A sand washing and sitting machine of the charbeing" in the shape of a hopperand having a manuallyoperated drain valve on one side; screens covering the upper end of said tubular member on the bottom of said flume; a centrally located drain pipe fastened to the bot tom of said sedimentation tank; a valve closing the bottom end of said drain pipe, a control tank being located centrally upon said sedimentation tank, said control tank having a drain on one side; a vertical pipe connecting said control tank to the said sedimentation tank and extending downwardly a considerable distance into said tank; a float located in said controltank and mounted upon a vertical rod extending down through said vertical pipe through said sedimentation tank and through said drain pipe at the bottom of same, said rod being attached to said valve at the bottom of the drain pipe; a second tubular member connected to the opposite side of said sedimentation tank forming an adjustable outlet for same, and a waste flume surrounding said vertical tubular member into which same may empty.

4. A sand washing and sifting machine of the char acter described in claim 3, in which said vertical rod upon which said float is mounted has at the top above said float an adjustable stop, whereby said float may be supported in a desirable position.

5. A sand washing and sifting machine of the character described comprising an intake flume carrying a mixture of sand and water, said flume running along one side of said machine; a sedimentation tank in the shape of a hopper forming the lower body of said machine; a tubular member communicating between said flumeand said hopper; graded screens covering the upper intake openings to said tubular member in the bottom of said flume; a waste flume running parallel to said intake flume but on the other side of' said machine and at a lower level relative to said intake; flume; a tubular communicating member between said hopper and said waste flume, said tubular member being of adjustable height; a centrally located'drain pipe fastened to the bottom of said hopper; a vertically extended valve rod extending'upwardly in the center of said drain pipe; a conical closure with its apex extending upward and fastened upon. the lower end of said valve rod; a control tank being located centrally upon said hopper between said intake and waste flume, said control tank having a drain on one side leading into said waste flume and being open at the top; a vertical pipe connecting said controltank to said hopper and ex. tending a distance down into same; a float located in said control tank and being fastened to the upper end of said vertically extending valve rod extending up through said vertical pipe in the bottom of said control tank; a second rod extending vertically from the center of the top of said float; a stop beam placed across the top of said' control tank adjacent to the center of same, and an adjustable stop at the upper end of, said second vertical rod whereby the lower position of said float and, the openingof-said' conical closure may be adjusted.

6. A sand washing and sifting machine of the character described in claim 3, in which said second vertical. tubular member comprises an outer metallic tube, an inner metallic tube fastened in the lower end of said outer metallic tube and having its upper ,end cut at an angle; a second inner tubehaving its lower end cut at an angle similar to said first inner metallic tube and rotatably heldin said outer-metallic tube, and sealing means located at the upper end' of said second vertical tubular member whereby said inner rotatable tube may be adjusted in height relative to the fluid level in the conveying flume over said waste flume.

References Cited inv the file, of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,010,305 Otis Nov. 28, 1911 1,225,416 Khotinsky May 8,1917 1,637,625 Shaw Aug. 2', 1927' 2,337,447 Bush Dec. 21', 19,43. 2,598,409 Meckenstock May 27, 1952;" 

